Indonesia: 2 Daesh-linked militants killed in shootout

Police chief says followers of Indonesia's most wanted man killed in clash with police in mountains of troubled Poso town

By Ainur Rohmah

TUBAN, Indonesia (AA) - Two members of a Daesh-linked group run by Indonesia's most wanted man have been killed in a shootout with military personnel in the jungles of Central Sulawesi province.

National Police Chief Gen. Badrodin Haiti confirmed Monday that two men from the East Indonesia Mujahideen died in a clash with police in the mountains along the coast of troubled Poso town Sunday.

"We are still identifying their identities," detik.com quoted him as saying. "They did not use identification at all."

Police estimate that the number of members of the group has dropped from 41 to 23 since an operation was launched in January in a renewed effort to capture its leader Abu Wardah Santoso and his followers.

At least 2,500 police and military personnel have been participating in Operation Tinombala.

Since a Jan. 14 terrorist attack in central Jakarta -- in which four civilians and four Daesh-affiliated assailants were killed -- the government has tightened security and focused its operation to catch Santoso.

In March, the United States included Santoso on its list of Specially Designated Global Terrorists.